BR Standard Class 5-MT 4-6-0 (Standard Arthur)
| Designed by RA Riddles and built at Derby and Doncaster, the Standard Class 5 was a very similar locomotive to the smaller Standard Class 4 in appearance - but with larger boiler and driving wheels. It followed largely in the footsteps of the successful Stanier LMS Class 5s built from 1934, but with many enhancements, such as roller bearings. The first loco entered traffic in April 1951 and immediately proved itself a success. In all, some 172 were built between then and 1957 and were put to work on all regions of BR, although there were not many on the Eastern Region. The locos were paired with some six different tenders ranging from the BR1 of 49 tons 3 cwt, capacity 4,200 galls, to the BR1F of 55 tons 5 cwt, capacity 5,650 galls. |
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Nº73119 Elaine passes through Raynes Park in September 1962 at
the head of an up Southampton Docks boat train. The train has an interesting
rake of stock including a decidedly grubby Gresley brake in red livery behind
the tender and a Pullman in the middle of its seven vehicle consist.
photograph by Mike Morant. |
| The initial allocation of locos on the Southern Region
was put to work on the Kent Coast lines but when those routes were electrified
many were transferred to work on the South Western section, mainly between
London and Salisbury and London and Bournemouth. Locos allocated to both the
Southern and Midland Regions could be found at times working the late-lamented
"Pines Express".
In early 1959 it was decided to name 20 of the Southern Region Class 5s using names previously carried by withdrawn examples of the King Arthur Class. These named locos, named between May 1959 and May 1961, came to be known as "Standard Arthurs" and were:
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| Unidentified Standard 5 at Templecombe, 20 August 1964 photograph by Alan Robinson. |
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Nº73110 The Red Knight at Basingstoke
photograph by Keith Harwood |
"Standard Arthur" Nº 73115 "King Pellinore" at Weymouth shed, 24 October 1964. photograph by Alan Robinson |
| Nº73018 with a rake of XP vans in tow, at Weymouth, 21st June
1966.
photograph by Ray Soper |
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Largely obscured by steam, Nº73115 King Pellinore on shed at
Basingstoke.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
| Nº73118 King Leodegrance moving onto the
turntable, at Guildford.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
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Nº73084 Tintagel comes off Guildford shed and passes under the
long footbridge which crosses the station and the stabling sidings.
photograph by Keith Harwood |
| Not a "Standard Arthur", Nº73029 on shed at
Salisbury, 6th May 1967.
photograph by Alan Robinson. |
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Nº73029 again, this time seen light engine at Clapham Junction during 1966.
photograph by Ray Soper |
All photographs are copyright
This page was last updated 30 March 2004
